U. S. Naval Hospital Okinawa Historical Timeline 2012: construction on the main hospital and supporting structures, BEQ, central utility plant, public works building, and warehouse is complete. Government of Japan conducts inspections and system testing and turns facilities over to Navy Medicine West Detach- ment June 29. Outfitting be- gins. 2009: Construction on the new hos- 1964: A south wing was 2013: The U.S. Naval pital facility officially begins in constructed and opened to Hospital Okinawa staff March. Along with the main build- 1945: Allied forces invade the Ryukyu provide an additional 250 completes the physical ing, work also commences on the Islands on April 1, conducting amphibi- bed capacity. The new 1982: Camp Kuwae is officially renamed Camp move from the old hos- 1954: Construction begins on a Central Utility Plant, Warehouse, ous landings on the main island of Oki- wing was capable of ex- Lester in Honor of Hospital Apprentice Fred pital on Camp Lester new hospital located at Camp Public Works Building and HazMat nawa at Motobu, Yomitan, Onna, and panding to a further 75 Faulkner Lester, a 19-year-old Navy Corpsman 1992: The U. S. Navy and U. S. 2004: Contractors and all services are up Kuwae in Chatan to replace the storage building. Katsuren. After the conclusion of the beds, giving the hospital a posthumously awarded the Congressional Forces Japan submit a formal begin drafting the and running at the new Quonset hut facility at Camp Battle of Okinawa on June 21, the total capacity of 700 beds, Medal of Honor for heroism while serving with request seeking PACOM spon- new hospital de- facility on Camp Foster, Mercy in Ginowan City. United States assumed administrative including expansion beds. a Marine infantry unit during the Battle of Oki- sorship of hospital replace- sign. except for satellite facili- control of the Ryukyu Islands. nawa. Although the installation has carried Les- ment project on Camp Lester. ties currently under ter’s name for over 25 years, some local resi- The initial request was not ap- construction at the new dents still refer to the base as “Camp Kuwae”. proved. hospital compound. 1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005 2015 1995: The U. S. and Japa- 1946: After World War II, military hos- 1996: SACO Final Report released, announc- 2015: Remaining 1967—1969: U. S. nese governments con- 2007: Cultural Asset Sur- pital facilities on Okinawa, originally in- ing the SACO "Final Agreement". Part of the supporting struc- 1958: Construction is Army Hospital 1977: The hospital is vene the Special Action veys begin at New Hospital dividual isolated field hospitals set up agreement between U. S. and Government of tures and satellite completed on the new Ryukyu Islands op- turned over to the Navy. Committee on Okinawa construction site as part of during the war, were organized into a Japan calls for construction of a new Naval facilities are com- 250-bed (expandable to erates at maxi- U. S. Army Hospital Ryukyu (SACO) to discuss the re- the agreement with the Gi- strip of Quonset huts situated in pre- Hospital replacement facility at Camp Foster. pleted, outfitted, 375 beds) medical facil- mum capacity of Islands is decommissioned, duction of the U. S. foot- nowan City government to sent day Ginowan City and known as According to the agreement: and operational. ity on Camp Kuwae, 700 beds during and the 400-bed facility is print and thereby approve construction of the Camp Mercy Hospital. The camp occu- A new hospital and 11 supporting facilities When all hospital  and U. S. Army Hospital the peak casualty commissioned as a U. S. "reducing the burden on facility. The surveys will be pied an area located in the approximate will be built on Camp Foster to replace the operations are Ryukyu Islands is com- period of the Viet- Naval Regional Medical the people of Okinawa conducted prior to building area of the Okinawa Convention Center old facility on Camp Lester moved to Camp missioned. nam conflict. Center on February 28, and thereby strengthen construction to determine if and Tropical Beach, extending to High- Replacement will be “function for function, Foster, U. S. Naval  1977 under the command the Japan-US alliance." there are any buried ar- way 58. to current criteria, with no services to be Hospital activities of Capt. C. S. Lambdin. cheological items of histori- added or discontinued aboard Camp Les- cal or cultural significance. New hospital will be approximately 40,000 ter come to a halt.  square meters compared to old facility’s 20,000 square meters.